Termites are devastating for homeowners, as they can eat through wood and cause permanent structural damage that requires extensive repair. Unfortunately, termites and pest activity signs are not always apparent unless you know what you are looking for. Here are the things that all homeowners should know about signs of termites in the home.
1. Flying Termites or Small Flying Ant-Like Bugs
Swarmers are young winged termites searching for a home, and they are often one of the first signs of termites that people notice. Once termites find a place to nest, they will shed their wings and focus on reproducing. If you see small ant-like insects with wings that are surrounding your outdoor lights at night or are present in your basement, they could be termites.
2. Blistering or Hollow Wood are Signs of Termites
Termites eat wood from the inside out, so they might hollow out the middle of boards or other wood in your basement as they make their way through your home. One of the common signs of termites is wood that sounds hollow or visible blistering of paint. As they eat through window frames or door frames, termites can also lead to warped wood that causes doors and windows to stick.
3. Discarded Wings on the Ground
As mentioned above, one of the signs of termites is swarmers, or winged termites, flying around your home. Because they shed their wings once they find a place to nest, you might find small piles of discarded wings around your home. These wings could be seen outside your home or inside, especially around the foundation or in the basement.
4. Sawdust-Like Piles Around the House
Another one of the most common signs of termites is called frass. Frass looks like a pile of wood shavings or sawdust, and it can appear in bundles or small clusters. While it may look like it came from wood, it is termite droppings. Drywood termites push their droppings out instead of using them to build tunnels to travel around the house, so keep your eyes peeled for unexplained piles of small brown shavings or sawdust.
5. Mud Tubes to Travel are Signs of Termites
Subterranean termites have droppings that look more like mud, and they use them to build tunnels that help them move through different parts of your home. If you see small mud tubes on your foundation or in the basement, they could be tunnels helping termites move around the house.
House Doctor Home Inspection offers inspection services in Rhode Island. Contact us to request an appointment.